Hello Everyone
How wonderful it has been to see autumnal sunshine today. I hope it lasts for a while without further rain! The leaves are changing on the trees to a beautiful autumnal hue; apples, tomatoes, fruit and vegetables are cropping at the moment, and it will be so wonderful tomorrow to admire the beautiful decorations in church, at our harvest services at All Saints Church Chalgrave, and St George of England Church, Toddington and it will be special to gather for a benefice Harvest Lunch at 12.3 0pm at Wilkinson Hall. Do please let Dee know if you’d like to come.
Both churches have been decorated beautifully by lovely helpers. Fresh produce is very welcome tomorrow as part of our thanksgiving to God for His provision and for the Harvest. (Who remembers the old days when we all prepared a shoebox of produce to lay at the altar as our own personal thanks to God?). Nowadays, we also collect tinned and packet longer life foods to distribute to Dunstable Foodbank, which supports families in need in our area. The need is increasing with these colder mornings and the Foodbank shelves are getting emptier, so they are grateful for any contributions please. I understand that tinned pies, meat, fish etc are particularly important this time of year to provide a meal for a family. Fresh produce will also be distributed to a good cause. Thank you so much for anything that you can contribute. It really is appreciated.
The ‘Toddington Community Fridge’ continues each Saturday morning at Wilkinson Hall, from 9.30 am to 11.00 am and all are welcome to visit to collect up to 3kg of food per household. It is a sustainability initiative, geared to avoid food waste. Thanks to ‘Flitwick Community Fridge’ and volunteers, the ‘Toddington Community Fridge’ will continue on Saturday mornings going forward, for the foreseeable future. The food we receive comes from local stores in the Flitwick and Ampthill area eg Tesco and Waitrose and is collected by volunteers at Flitwick and transported to us by truck at 9am on a Saturday morning, courtesy of Cllr Andy Snape, Lynn from Tesco, and other volunteers. Whilst we appreciate people may wish to arrive early to ‘get in the queue” we won’t open until 9.30am as we need time to set up and prepare. We have seen some amazing provision over the past weeks. Sadly, today’s supplies were lower than usual, but we are grateful for what we receive and as this is a sustainability initiative some weeks will offer more than others. Thank you for your understanding today.
As part of the initiative, volunteers at Toddington have completed food safety and hygiene certificates (cost £12 per person). We are grateful for any cash donations which have been given on a Saturday morning as these will help us cover our training costs and the ongoing cost of transporting the food up to Toddington. Thank you. For information, Flitwick Community Fridge is open daily Monday to Friday at the food hub, Rufus Centre with revised times from Monday 7th October: from 9.30 - 11.30 am and 2.30 - 5.30 pm and Saturdays 9.30 - 11.30am. You can check what is in the fridge each day on Facebook at ‘Flitwick Community Fridge’.
Hopefully, the list of dates offered in my last email carried you forth, so you haven’t missed any events. I’ve lots of dates in today’s email for your calendars as I am taking 2 weeks leave from Monday afternoon and probably won’t issue another general email until I return. Do let me know if I’ve missed anything below or of any updates, and I will check my emails while away in case there is anything urgent.
Sunday Services tomorrow, 6th October
9.30 am Harvest Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave Church
11.00 am, Harvest Holy Communion Service, Toddington Church
12.30pm Harvest Benefice Lunch, Wilkinson Hall
Services and Events this week
Monday 7th October
9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church, weekly
1.00 pm Funeral of Kathleen Ward, Oakfield Gardens Crematorium, Steppingley.
Tuesday 8th October
10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall, weekly
Thursday 10th October
2.00 pm Afternoon with Friends
Friday 11th October
10.30am Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall
Saturday 12th October
9.30 – 11.00 am Toddington Community Fridge, Wilkinson Hall
10.00 am Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall
Sunday 13th October
No Service at Chalgrave Church,
11.00 am Benefice, Holy Communion Service at Toddington Church - led by Rev Roger Wood
Sunday 20th October
9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave Church, led by Rev Anne Barker
11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington Church, led by Rev Anne Barker
6.00 pm Evensong, led by Malcolm Curtis
Additional Upcoming Events:
Mondays
9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church, weekly
Seated Pilates, Wilkinson Hall, 14 and 28th October, 11 and 25 November, 2.00 pm
Tuesdays
Knitting group, 10.3 0am each Tuesday, Wikinson Hall
Youth Group: 15th and 29th October, Wilkinson Hall, 5.45pm to 7.15pm
Wednesdays
Pop Up Tea Room, Tebworth Memorial Hall, 23 October, 27 November, and 18 December, 11-1.00 pm
Weekly church grounds or cleaning working parties.. please speak to Dee
Thursdays
St George’s Fellowship, Wilkinson Hall 17 October, 21 November, 2.00 pm
Ploughman’s Meal, 7 November, 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall
Afternoon With Friends, 14 November, Wilkinson Hall, 2.00 pm
Church Cleaning Parties, Chalgrave Church .. please speak to Sandy.
Fridays
Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall, 10.30 am, weekly
Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall, 25 October and 22 November, 3.30 - 5.30 pm
Beetle Drive, Wilkinson Hall, 7.30 pm (organised by the Friends of St Georges’s)
Saturdays
Toddington Community Fridge, Wilkinson Hall, 9.30 – 11.00 am
Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall, 9 November 10.00 am
Chalgrave Christmas Craft Fayre, Tebworth Memorial Hall, 9. November 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
Christmas Tree Festival: Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December Toddington Church
Sundays
9.30am Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church
11.00 am Holy Communion, Toddington Church
6.00 pm Evensong 17 November
In Loving Memory Services, November 3 – times tbc
Remembrance Sunday 10 November
Toddington 9.30 am Holy Communion
Remembrance Services on Toddington Green from 10.45 am
Remembrance Service at Chalgrave Church, 2.00 pm
Remembrance Service at Tebworth Memorial Hall, 3.00 pm
15 December, visiting speaker Gram Seed, special informal service 2.00 pm, Toddington Church
With every good wish
Linda
Rev Linda Washington
Rector of Toddington and Chalgrave